Former Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has highlighted language problems as a potential factor behind the Villains’ poor start to the season.

This summer saw Villa focus their attentions in the transfer market abroad – particularly in France – and a lack of cohesion on the pitch has led to some suggestions that communication between the players could be an issue.

“The dressing room seems to be all mixed languages,” said Lambert on the ‘Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast’ show on talkSPORTthis morning.

“When you get into a dressing room and it’s your culture and there are a lot of foreign lads in there, I think the foreign lads have got to know the language.

“When I played in Germany, I thought I am going to have to learn really quickly so I knew the football language on the pitch. Looking at Villa at the moment, I’m not so sure a lot of the lads know what’s hit them."

A struggle to adapt to the English language could be a reason for Villa’s interest in Frenchman Remi Garde, with the hope that his arrival could bring the best out of the new recruits.

The likes of Jordan Amavi, Jordan Veretout and Idriss Gueye all came highly-rated from Ligue 1, and while they have impressed at times, the collective hasn’t gelled and it’s a problem that needs urgent attention.

Villa’s late capitulation against Swansea on Saturday was indicative of how their season has gone so far and turning their fortunes around will be a mammoth task for whoever gets the nod.